dpwanab

Hey everyone, I'm in the process of putting together an AC rate card to present to potential commercial clients here in the midwest, and I want to make sure I cover all the bases. Is there a certain format the info is presented in, or are there any further tips you could point out? I just want to make sure that my card doesn't leave out any vital info, or be too wordy. Could I see some examples with the actual numbers omitted, just to see what kind of info I NEED to have on it, and the format at which it's presented? Thanks, Christopher Ratledge camera asssistant IN/OH/KY

I agree about the preferable straight-shot in, if the gate allows that. Even some of the biggest trucks I've worked on have had pretty small liftgates. Small enough that you could only get one cart on at a time, but on top of that, it's a shallow gate that the cart has to sit on sideways, (perpendicular to the rear door) cause it's the only way it will fit. So to get them in, you HAVE to turn the carts anyway. It would be great to get a truck with a HUGE liftgate, like a level-vator type that lifts to the up position and then like a hinge, folds up to BECOME the back of the truck box.

Ah, good to see some responses. As for making room for the Dolly and track, I really don't like that idea at all. I've never worked on a production where the dolly rode on the camera truck. I've seen the occasional Sound or VTR cart here and there, but that's what the open space in the back is for. Plus, I'm really thinking about building the truck for me, and carrying the dolly shouldn't be my responsibility in the first place! And I think it would be preferable to have both a side (in this case the front step) entrance in addition to the rear entrance. All the BIG camera trucks seem to have the side stairs in addition to the lift gate. As a loader it's inconvenient to have to use (and wait for) the lift gate every time you're in and out of the truck. Not to mention dangerous if you try to step up and down all day long, and I've got bad knees. A few small steps is a lot better than two big hops up and down on the liftgate. Why exactly do I need so much open space at the rear of the truck anyway? The Darkroom in my design still allows enough room to operate in, enough room to swing a SR. magliner past it and up into the front of the truck if need be, and enough space to store other carts/items next to it on the open floor when parked or packed up for transit. Not all gates are large enough for two carts simultaneously, so it really doesn't seem like a big deal to take them up one at a time and load them in. I kinda like the ide of a hinged workbench, but then I'd loose those nifty bench pockts where it meets the wall. Plus, I don't really see how that would help that much cause some of the space underneath would already be taken by a genny and an air tank, not to mention the body case(s). And I put it near the front entrance for obvious reasons. And the preferable thing about a darkroom vs. a tent is simply speed and convenience. It takes a lot longer to have to zip twice and slither each arm into a tent than it does to close a door. Plus, for me there's the terepudic value of getting in the dark and away from all the chaos for a few moments! Not nitpicking, just looking for feedback. Thanks already! :D

Howdy everyone. I just finished up day-playing on an Indie feature in MI, and while spending a lot of my time on the truck as the loader, I got to thinking about camera trucks. The truck we were using, and I'm not knocking it cause it'll always be better than a van, but it certainly wasn't ideal. This was a small show with basically a single camera package, but we had a B camera and mags. The box was 14' long, with 12' of shelves along the passenger side, a VERY small darkroom(4'x3') in the front on the driver's side, and a 5' camera bench behind it. So it worked but was cramped. Obviously there are MUCH bigger trucks with a full-width darkroom that includes the 'over-cab' section on the big 5-ton trucks, have that side entrance with stairs, but most smaller productions can't and won't have these. These trucks are huge, expensive, and not the easiest to drive. (if you somehow get stuck driving it) So I got to thinking, and I thought maybe a Step Van would be a good idea. Your basic UPS or FEDEX truck. You can get them will pretty long boxes, and can slap all the essentials on as well, like the liftgate. They're cheaper and easier to drive than the big trucks. Plus, the whole thing with a step-van is that it is a walk-in van. You can use that built-in entrance as the side entrance of a bigger truck, so long as you don't block it with the darkroom. Anyway, This is pretty general, but here's a drawing of it, and I thought I'd ask for some input. Christopher Ratledge 600 AC IN/KY/OH